Combined longitudinal and transverse partition structure



June 28, 1966 E. .1. GRASER 3,258,139

COMBINED LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Oct, 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-1 INVENTOR EARL J GRASE/P BY J M A T TOPNEV June 28, 1966 J, G 3,258,189

COMBINED LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE PARTITION STRUCTURE Filed Oct 29, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. EARL J GRASER BY $541M A T TO/PNEY United States Patent 3,258,189 COMBINED LON GITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE PARTITION STRUCTURE Earl J. Graser, Monroe, La., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Oct. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 407,462 Claims. (Cl. 229-15) The present invention relates to partition structures and relates in particular to partition structures useful to separate articles packaged in a wrap-around style carton.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of a partition structure a portion of which defines a longitudinal partition and another portion of which defines a transverse partition.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a primary element defining a first plane and a secondary panel element hinged to the first element and operable to rotate relative to the plane of the primary element about a first axis coplanar with said plane, said secondary element being further operative to shift relative to said plane effective to move said first axis out of the plane of said primary element.

A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a partition panel structure including longitudinal and transverse partition elements in which the transverse partitions are cut-outs from the longitudinal partition; the transverse partitions are not only rotatable relative to the longitudinal partition of the plane but are movable into and out of the plane of the longitudinal partition to oifset the transverse partition to provide equal lengths of transverse partition on opposite sides of the longitudinal position.

A partition structure embracing certain principles of the present invention may comprise a primary panel eelment, at least one secondary panel element defining a cut-out from said primary element, said secondary element having a first hinge coplanar with said primary element, said secondary element being rotatable out of the plane of the primary element about said first hinge, said secondary element having a second hinge operative to offset said secondary panel and said first hinge relative to the plane of said primary panel element.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from an examination of the succeeding specification when read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plane view of a blank embodying the principles of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the first step in developing partition, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the completed partition.

Referring now to the drawings, the letter B indicates a blank of packaging material such as paperboard, plastic or other composite plastic or cellulosic material.

The blank B comprises a primary or main panel element hereinafter referred to as a longitudinal panel.

Secondary panel elements 11 and 12 are hinged to the primary panel element through primary and secondary hinges.

The primary hinges are designated by the reference numerals 13, 14, 16 and 17 while the secondary hinges are designated by the reference numerals 18, 19, 21 and 22.

The primary and secondary hinges are joined by a hinge strap identified by the reference numerals 23, 24, 26 and 27.

By virtue of the primary and secondary hinges, panels 11 and 12 are each rotatable relative to the plane of panel 10 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2.

3,258,189 Patented June 28, 1966 "Ice Stated otherwise, panels 11 and 12 are rotatable to the position of FIG. 2 about their respective primary hinges 13,14, 16 and 17.

For example, panel 12 rotates about primary hinges 13 and 14 in assuming the position shown in FIG. 2.

In the position shown in FIG. 2, transverse panels 11 and 12 are disposed generally normal to the plane of longitudinal panel 10.

'Note that the right-hand projections of panels 11 and 12 identified by the reference numerals 28 and 29 are appreciably longer than the corresponding left-hand projections identified by the reference numerals 31 and 32.

By virtue of the present invention it is possible to shift the panels from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3 with the result that the projection of a given panel on opposite sides of the longitudinal panel 10 are generally equal.

To equalize the projections of panels 11 and 12 relative to the plane of panel 10 the projections 31 and 32 are moved in the direction indicated by and along a path generally parallel to the arrow of FIG. 2.

This occurrence causes hinge straps 23, 24, 26 and 27 to rotate out of the plane of panel 10 to a position generally normal thereto as shown in FIG. 3.

correspondingly, the axes of primary hinges 13, 14, 16 and 17 move out of the plane of panel 10 and are olfset therefrom a distance equal to the dimension A shown in FIG. 1.

Thus, hinge strap-s 23, 24, 26 and 27 all assume a position normal to the plane of longitudinal panel 10 in pivoting about the axes of secondary hinges 18, 19, 21 and 22 and the hinge flaps rotate into face-to-face contact with mating panels 11 and 12 as shown in FIG. 3.

Obviously, the partition device of the present invention may be constructed and arranged to include one or more transverse panels each having at least one set of primary and secondary hinges in combination with a hinge strap.

For convenience in subsequent claiming, primary and secondary hinges are sometimes referred to as first and second hinges.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of embodiments may be devised utilizing the principles of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined longitudinal and transverse partition structure for use in a wrap-around style carton for separating articles packaged therein comprising a primary longitudinal partition element, at least one secondary transverse partition element defining a cut-out from said primary element, at least one hinge strap connecting said secondary element to said primary element, a first hinge between said hinge strap and said primary element whereby said secondary element is rotatable out of the plane of said primary element, a second hinge between said hinge strap and said secondary element to offset said secondary element from the plane of said primary element, said secondary partition and said hinge strap extending transversely to said primary element, said secondary element having a portion on both sides of said primary element and said primary element having a portion on both sides of said secondary element.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the entire secondary element is cut-out from within the primary element.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the primary element is formed with at least two cut-outs defining two secondary transverse partition elements and wherein there are at least two hinge straps connecting each said transverse partition element to said primary element.

4. The structure of claim 3 wherein each of said secondary transverse partition elements has a first portion extending in one direction from the axis of said second hinge and a second portion extending in the opposite direction from the axis of said second hinge, said first portion being longer than said second portion.

5. A combined longitudinal and transverse partition structure for use in a wrap-around style carton to separate articles packaged therein comprising a primary longitudinal partition element, two secondary transverse partition elements defining a cut-out entirely within said primary element, at least one hinge strap connecting each of said secondary partition elements to said primary partition elements, a first hinge between said hinge strap and said primary partition element, and a second hinge between said hinge strap and said secondary partition element, said secondary partitions and said hinge straps ex- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,527,702 10/1950 Buttery. 2,596,205 5/ 1952 Buttery. 2,792,982 5/1957 Malmgren 229-42 3,166,228 1/1965 Weiss 22915 3,189,244 6/1965 Whalen 229l5 GEORGE O. RALSTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A COMBINED LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE PARTITION STRUCTURE FOR USE IN A WRAP-AROUND STYLE CARTON FOR SEPARATING ARTICLES PACKAGE THEREIN COMPRISING A PRIMARY LONGITUDINAL PARTITION ELEMENT, AT LEAST ONE SECONDARY TRANSVERSE PARTITION ELEMENT DEFINING A CUT-OUT FROM SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT, AT LEAST ONE HINGE STRAP CONNECTING SAID SECONDARY ELEMENT TO SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT, A FIRST HINGE BETWEEN SAID HINGE STRAP AND SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT WHEREBY SAID SECONDARY ELEMENT IS ROTATABLE OUT OT THE PLANE OF SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT, A SECOND HINGE BETWEEN SAID HINGE STRAP AND SAID SECONDARY ELEMENT TO OFFSET SAID SECONDARY ELEMENT FROM THE PLANE TO SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT, SAID SECONDARY PARTITION AND SAID HINGE STRAP EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT, SAID SECONDARY ELEMENT HAVING A PORTION ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT AND SAID PRIMARY ELEMENT HAVING A PORTION ON BOTH SIDES OF SAID SECONDARY ELEMENT. 